Vessel grounds near Juneau

Posted: Sunday, August 09, 2009

By COURTESY OF THE U.S. COAST GUARD

JUNEAU - The U.S. Coast Guard reported that five crew members were rescued after their fishing vessel took on water near Juneau. The Coast Guard says it got a mayday call from a crew member aboard the 59-foot fishing vessel Patty J early Saturday about 26 miles southwest of Juneau in Square Cove. A Good Samaritan on a nearby fishing vessel responded to the call and rescued the crew members. No injuries were reported. The vessel was carrying 400 to 500 gallons of diesel fuel, and a helicopter crew reported a sheen in the waters. Oil spill response workers were heading to the area. The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the grounding. The fishing vessel is homeported in Anacortes, Wash. and was traveling from Auke Bay to Excursion Inlet.